Thin film sensing cells are generally known, and provide the capability to detect, by means of an electrical signal, the application of a force to the cell. It is common practice to construct such sensing cells by depositing conductive patterns on thin, transparent, plastic backing sheets, such as polyester sheets, then folding the backing sheets over or otherwise juxtaposing the backing sheets to bring the conductive patterns into a desired confronting array. An electrical lead extends from each conductive pattern, and is customarily provided on the same sheet and surface as the portion of the conductive pattern with which it is associated. Thus, the electrical lead from the upper conductive pattern, for example, appears on the top backing sheet, while the electrical lead for the bottom conductive pattern appears on the bottom backing sheet.
Such an electrical lead configuration requires special arrangements to provide an electrical interface from the sensing cell to an associated circuit, such as, for example, a printed circuit board. Because the electrical leads typically appear on facing surfaces of the two different backing sheets, connectors must be used to capture the portions of the backing sheets on which the electrical leads from the conductive patterns are deposited, making connection to circuits difficult.
Accordingly, a need arises for an electrical termination technique that does not require special connectors, and does not require a connection format that must access both sides of the cell or other electrical circuit assembly in which such connection techniques are required.